Next race
Saturday, 24 April 2027
9:30 am start
Distance
42.195 km / 26.2 mi
Urban road
Elevation
Net downhill · 127 m gain
127 m climbing
Race profile
The TCS London Marathon is one of the world's most popular races, famous for its incredible charity fundraising and electric atmosphere. The fast course passes Tower Bridge, the Cutty Sark, Canary Wharf, and finishes on The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace. With gentle undulations and around 127 metres of total climbing, it consistently produces fast times — including Sabastian Sawe's 1:59:30 men's world record and Tigst Assefa's 2:15:41 women's-only world record, both set at the 2026 race.
London Marathon is a certified 42.195 km (26.2 mile) marathon — the standard World Athletics marathon distance.
Approximately 57k finishers
Course & terrain
The London Marathon starts on Blackheath and Greenwich Park and finishes on The Mall, weaving through southeast London before crossing the Thames past landmarks including the Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf, and the Embankment by Westminster. Greenwich and Embankment provide some of the easiest flatter running, the climb onto Tower Bridge and the quieter Isle of Dogs stretch are tougher, and crowds are loudest at Tower Bridge, along The Highway, and on the final kilometre down Birdcage Walk.
The London Marathon course is net downhill over 42.195 km (26.2 miles). Runners cover 127 metres of climbing and 161 metres of descent, with a net descent of 34 metres from start to finish.
Net downhill · 127 m gain — approx. 25 m above sea level
↑ 127 m · ↓ 161 m · net −34 m
Registration
There are four main routes. The public ballot opens each April after race day and closes within days — hundreds of thousands apply for roughly 17,000 ballot spots. Good for Age (GfA) entry guarantees a place to runners who have run under an age-graded standard (e.g. sub-3:05 for men 18–39, sub-3:45 for women 18–39) at a certified marathon within the qualifying window. Championship entries go to faster runners (sub-2:45 men, sub-3:15 women). Charity places are the most accessible route, with fundraising minimums typically starting around £2,000.
Getting there
London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
24 km / 15 mi
London City Airport (LCY)
13 km / 8 mi
London Gatwick Airport (LGW)
40 km / 25 mi
Luton, Luton (LTN)
London Luton Airport
44 km / 27 mi
Race footage
Common questions
Official resources
Last updated 11 October 2026. Edition dates and course details are reviewed regularly.
Close to this race
Other races closest to London.
The Milton Keynes Marathon draws about 4,000 finishers each May through Britain's planned new-town city of redways and roundabouts. The course follows the linear park system, passes the Xscape dome, and uses the wide boulevards and traffic-free redways that define Milton Keynes. May spring weather and a flat, fast course make it popular with runners chasing personal bests in the Home Counties.
Next race: Sunday, 2 May 2027
The Brighton Marathon is one of the UK's largest spring marathons, with more than 11,000 finishers running from Preston Park to a finish at Hove Lawns on Kingsway. The course passes the Royal Pavilion, Brighton Marina, and a mid-course out-and-back on Madeira Drive before the final miles through Hove to the seafront. April race-day atmosphere in Brighton — with crowds on the seafront — makes it a favourite UK destination marathon.
Next race: Sunday, 11 April 2027
The Abingdon Marathon is a traditional multi-lap race in Oxfordshire, drawing about 1,000 finishers each October on a flat, fast course at the Abingdon Airfield. The four-lap format on closed airfield roads is popular with UK runners chasing personal bests. October cool English weather and the simple, traffic-free course make it one of Britain's fastest autumn marathons.
Next race: Sunday, 18 April 2027
The Southampton Marathon draws approximately 1,350 finishers each April on an urban road in Southampton, United Kingdom. The event combines big-city logistics with a smaller-field atmosphere than London's spring marathon scene. The route passes the old walls area, parks, and port-city roads connected to the south coast waterfront. Rolling terrain with moderate climbs shapes the middle miles.
Next race: Sunday, 11 April 2027
The New Forest Marathon draws approximately 1,200 finishers each September on a forest road in Brockenhurst, United Kingdom. Natural scenery and the presence of free-roaming animals make it distinct from urban UK marathons. The route passes heathland, forest roads, roaming ponies, and open stretches through the national park. Rolling terrain with moderate climbs shapes the middle miles.
Next race: Sunday, 5 September 2027
The Shakespeare Marathon draws approximately 1,153 finishers each April on a historic town and rural road in Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom. Its literary branding gives it one of the clearest thematic identities in UK marathon running. The course passes the River Avon, Shakespeare-linked town landmarks, and Warwickshire village roads. Gentle undulations are the only breaks on an otherwise flat profile.
Next race: Sunday, 4 April 2027
Planning guides
Practical guides to help you plan, train for, and run this race.
The Abbott World Marathon Majors series, the Six Star Medal, qualifying paths, and how to approach racing the world's biggest city marathons.
What flat, rolling, and hilly really mean — and how to read elevation gain, net change, and altitude on a marathon course.
How major marathons allocate places — open entry, lotteries, charity bibs, tour operators, and what to check before you commit to a trip.
